Jamaica Elections 2025: PNP slams JLP over its plan to unveil manifesto at mass rally before today’s debate

Jamaica: The opposing People’s National Party (PNP) that aims to campaign robustly and lawfully  has strongly criticised JLP’s announcement to launch its manifesto at the Sunday Mass Rally in Sam Sharpe Square, St James. The criticism by the PNP comes just hours before the first election debate set to be on August 23. 

Speaking at a press conference PNP’s spokespersons Donna Scott-Mottley and Cleveland Tomlinson criticized the party's decision to release the Manifesto before the first social debate on Saturday, accusing JLP of avoiding any accountability to the Jamaican people. 

“A manifesto for their supporters not for the people of Jamaica,” Scott-Mottley condemned the JLP’s decision to launch its manifesto in  Kingston in front of their mass supporters, noting that, that makes the manifesto not for the whole Jamaican people but only their supporters due to where they will be unveiling it.

She further added that the decision was not unique but only highlights who the JLP party is, as the PNP Manifesto has long been released showing the party’s commitment to building a better Jamaica that works for all not just the few in the population but everyone. 

“Shame on JLP, shame” Tomlinson stated in his address at the press conference, saying that it is totally unacceptable for JLP to release its Manifesto after the debate, as it deprives the citizens of Jamaica the opportunity to fully assess the manifesto before the big debate. 

He further added that this can never be accepted in a mature democracy and never be accepted by a political party which is striving to run the nation for another term. 

Scott-Mottley further addressed the controversial stance that PNP took in requesting that certain Nationwide News Network journalists not be present at the debates noting that they did not make the request out of trying to limit the freedom of the press but to ensure impartiality in the debate process. 

As some of their journalists are known to attack PNP with their partial journalism, and as a party they ought to be wary of those journalists based on their previous actions. 

The PNP, which has already released its manifesto weeks ago, is set to launch its manifesto lite on Monday morning, emphasising that it is not a supplementary document, as being suggested by the JLP. 

The Jamaican General Elections Debate is set to be on August 23, 26 and 28 debating on various topics relating to social and economic sectors of Jamaica.